EAST FALMOUTH — The victim of a car crash Tuesday evening was a longtime Cape resident and the father of a local man who died in a 2005 fire.

Ronald G. Conn, 50, died after his Chevrolet pickup truck hit a tree around 6 p.m. Tuesday near 240 Hayway Road, according to police. Rescue personnel spent nearly 45 minutes removing Conn from the truck, which was wrapped around the tree.

He was taken to Falmouth Hospital, where he later died.

The Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement Council Motor Vehicle Crash Reconstruction Team is investigating the cause of the accident, Falmouth police Lt. Sean Doyle said.

A member of the team was not available to comment on the investigation Wednesday.

Conn was born at the former Otis Air Force Base hospital, his sister, Kathryn Conn Razinha, said Wednesday.

After moving around, their family settled in Falmouth in 1973, she said.

Sixteen years ago, Conn moved to Woonsocket, R.I., but he had been living with her in East Falmouth for the past year, she said.

Conn was on his way home from visiting her son, who lives in town, when the accident happened, Razinha said.

"It's still a bit of a shock," she said.

On Jan. 12, 2005, Conn's son Andrew was killed in a house fire at 258 Carriage Shop Road in East Falmouth. He was the only person in the house at the time.

A bench in memory of Andrew was placed on Main Street, said Nancy Mars, Andrew's mother and Conn's ex-wife.

"This is a confusing time," Mars said. "I'm dealing with it in my own way."

Razinha said her brother, whom she refers to as "Ronny," was a "happy person" with "a kind heart" and "a contagious smile." He has three other children: James, Cherilyn and Samantha.

"We're trying to be here and comfort each other for the moment until decisions are made," Razinha said.